Open Water

Diving From a BoatHere are some of the services to look for when choosing a charter boat dive operation. First, expect a friendly greeting when you arrive to check in. You should be assisted in loading your gear onto the boat and be told where to place extra items. If the dive will be in […]

Finding your way once you leave your home requires following a path, a road, a street, or other reference. Visual references on the surface are very important. They are even more important under the surface of the water because visibility is often much less than on the surface. Think of finding your way in a

Backup Scuba UnitWhen planning a very deep dive, one in an overhead environment, or any other challenging dive, a diver might choose to provide his own alternate breathing supply by carrying either a smaller extra cylinder with an extra regulator attached or a unit with dual cylinders that supports two separate regulators. Either of these

Octopus BreathingIf each buddy has an octopus second stage regulator that functions properly, the procedure for use is as follows: The in-need buddy comes to the provider buddy and signals out-of-air. The provider buddy immediately makes physical contact and hands over his primary second stage regulator to the buddy in need. By physical contact we

Aquatic Comfort & WatermanshipHow well can you swim? In the first chapter of this text we explained that the more comfortable you are in the water, the more you will enjoy scuba class, and your ultimate diving experience. Once you become a certified diver, don’t think you are finished. Every dive you make you will

A diver about to enter the water can be compared to a fireman entering a smoke-filled building wearing a Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA). In both cases, the survival of the individual depends on proper function of the equipment. Good maintenance is critical to survival. Also, having an adequate amount of breathing gas to safely

Prevent excessive stress by: You have learned how diving affects the body and the mind. After “Never Hold Your Breath” and “Ascend Slowly” Managing stress is a close third. Everyone triggers and reacts differently. A nice element about diving is some people use it to minimize stress once you are comfortable under water. Diving has